Roller support for traveling films



June 23,1931. F. Qw s 1,811,365-

ROLLERSUPPORT FOR TRAVELING FILMS I I Filed May 22, 1930' m WI Patented June 23, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT omen 7 FREEMAN HVOWENS, or NEW YORK, 11. Y., Assicmoa rroowENs DEVELOPMENT con- PORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION or new YORK ROLLER sorrow ron'rnavnmne FILMS Application filed May 22, 1930'. Serial No. 454,765.

This invention relates to improvements in roller supports for traveling films, the principal object of the invention being to provide a device of this character for supporting a sound record film at the point of translation of the sound record, and which device is effective to maintain the film against buckling and is simple in construction.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

In the drawings accompanying this specification,

Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section through a film support embodying the features of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a transverse section of the support, taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, and showing said support in operative relation to a sound reproducing apparatus.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view of a film adapted to be supported by the improved device.

Referring to the drawings, 1 desi nates a suitable support to which may be xedly secured a laterally extending flanged stud or arbor 2, said stud in the present instance being provided with a stem 3 passing through an opening in said support and having a nut 4 threaded thereon. Mounted for free rotation on said stud is a sleeve 5 preferably provided with sprocket teeth 6 forengaging the usual perforations adjacent to oneedge of a film, said sleeve being shorter than the stud 2 and retained against axial movement by means of a pair of segmental collar forming members 7 secured by screws 8 to the stud at diametrically opposite points. Also mounted for free rotation on the stud, at the outer end thereof is an auxiliary sleeve 9, provided at its outer end with a radial flange 10. The sleeve 9 is maintained with its inner end contiguous to the collar members 7, by means of a disk 11 removably secured to the end of the stud 2 by a screw 12, said disk being of greater diameter than the stud thereby to form a sleeve retaining flange afimnd the end of the stud, as clearly shown in Figure 1. The overall length of the composite roller formed by the sleeves 5 and 9 and the interposed collar members-7, is such as to accommodate the width of a film carrying a sound record which is to be reproduced, with the perforations at one edge of the film in engagement with the sprocket teeth 6 while the opposite edge of the film lies contiguous to the flange 10 of the auxiliary sleeve 9. The stud 2 is provided with a diametrically extending opening or port 13 at that point in its length which lies between the opposing ends of the sleeves 5 and 9and betweenthe opposing ends of the collar members 7, for permitting passage of light therethrough.

The composite roller above described is disposed transversely at the end of a housing-14 within which is mounted the usual optical unit, comprisng a focusing lens 15 and a condensing lens 16, said housing being provided with a partition 17 having a slit through which light rays from a lamp 18 will pass to the optical unit, whereby the illuminated areal image of said slit is focused through the opening 13 and on to a film 19 passing over that side of the roller farthest away from the housing, as shown in Figure 2 at 19a and which film carries a sound record 20 in alignment with the opening 13, the film being shown in Figure 3 as provided also with 'a'picture record 21. A photoelectric cell 22 or other light sensitive element is disposed inposition to catch the light rays modulated by their passage through the sound record on the film and translate them into electrical impulses, the output of said cell being connected by wires 23 with a suitable amplifier (not shown) in the usual manner. The film is engaged by a driving sprocket 24 to which motion may be imparted by any suitable means for. causing the film to travel past theport 13. Means, such as a flanged idler roller 25 may be provided for guiding the film in its movement toward the sprocket sleeve 5.

It will be understood, of course, that, if

desired, the film may engage the composite sprocket roller on that side thereof nearest the housing 14, since such a change would necessitate merely a rearrangement of the focusing lens in order to focus thelight on the film with the proper degree of sharpness. It

will also be readily understood that while I have illustrated the device in connection with the reproduction of a sound record, it is equal ly applicable for use in a sound recording apparatus, and my invention is not limited in this respect.

I claim:

1. A roller film support, comprising a fixed arbor, a two part roller mounted for rotation on said arbor, means for maintaining the parts of the roller longitudinally separated, and said arbor being provided with an open ing passing diametrically therethrough at a point in the length of the arbor between said separated roller parts.

2. A roller film support, comprising a fixed arbor, a pair of sleeves mounted in end to end relation for rotation on said arbor, the combined length of said sleeves being less than that of the arbor, means for maintaining said sleeve longitudinally separated, and said arbor being provided with an opening extending diametrically therethrough at that portion of the arbor between the separated ends of the sleeves.

3. A roller film support, comprising a fixed arbor having a fixed flange at one end thereof and a removable flange forming member at its opposite end, an elongated sleeve mounted for rotation on said arbor with one end adjacent to said fixed flange, an auxiliary sleeve of comparatively short length mounted for rotation on the arbor With one end adjacent to said removable flange member, the combined length of said sleeves being less than that of the arbor, means secured to said arbor between said sleeves for maintaining them spaced apart, and said arbor being provided with an opening extending diametrically therethrough at that portion thereof between the sleeves.

4,. A roller film support, comprising a fixed arbor, a pair of sleeves mounted in end to end relation for rotation on said arbor, the combined length of said sleeves being less than that of the arbor, a pair of segmental spacing members secured to the arbor at diametrically opposite portions thereof between the opposed ends of said sleeves, and said arbor having an opening extending diametrically therethrough, the ends of said opening lying between the opposed ends of said segmental members.

5. A roller film support comprising a fixed arbor, spaced rotatable means thereon for supporting a traveling film, and a light passage through said arbor intermediate said rotatable means.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

FREEMAN H. OWENS. 

